Sleep

Even though sleep health is a relatively new science, enough research has been done to provide information on the benefits of sleep, that won’t require you having a Ph.D to understand it. Sleep is very important to the body and has significant roles it plays on different organs within the body:

The Brain: when we sleep, Cerebral spinal fluid is pumped more quickly throughout the brain; this acts like a dishwasher, whisking away waste products that brain cells make. So you wake up with,… quite literally, a clean slate.

The Heart: One body part that gets a break during sleep is your heart. It works hard during the day, so at night during non-REM sleep, it takes some pressure off itself by reducing heart rate, as well as blood pressure.

The Lungs: When you’re awake, your breathing patterns vary greatly. You’ll breathe faster when excited and harder while exercising. But during sleep, your breathing slows down and becomes very regular.

The Stomach: Certain foods contain an amino acid called tryptophan that causes sleepiness. Carbohydrates make tryptophan more available to the brain, which is why carbohydrate-heavy meals can make you drowsy.

The Muscles: While you sleep, your body releases growth hormones that work to rebuild muscles and joints. The more sleep you get, the better equipped your body will be to repair itself.

Sleep improves your ability to make more accurate split-second decisions by about four percent, and people who work out regularly sleep better—and longer—than those who don't. so how can sleep help save your memory?

One key to sharpening your memory may be reworking your sleep schedule so that you get more shut-eye, since your brain works overtime while you’re in bed to help boost your ability to remember. A good night’s sleep is essential for learning new information and remembering it later. So the late night TDBs during exams is totally uncalled for.

A healthy dose of sleep can assist…

Enhanced Attention:

If you wake up feeling well rested, you’ll have greater mental clarity and focus, and you’ll be able to respond faster to questions or stimuli.

Learning Becomes Easier:

If you’re well rested, you’ll be able to master a new task more effectively than if you were sleep-deprived; this is known as procedural memory. During REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, you’ll also sharpen your declarative memory—your knowledge of complex, fact-based information.

Better Problem-Solving Skills:

After a good night’s sleep, you might wake up with a more creative idea for a project or solve a pesky problem.

Improved Recall:

A sound night’s sleep can help you better remember what you learned the day and speed up your thinking processes.

You also are able to learn new skills and retain, create long term memories and improve your focus.